1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to attachments to vehicles. More particularly, the invention pertains to apparatus for attaching to automotive vehicles for transport of all-terrain recreational vehicles (ATVs), riding lawn mowers, motorcycles, bicycles, tools, and the like.
2. State of the Art
In the past 20 years, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) having 3 or 4 "oversize" wheels have become commonly used in a wide variety of applications. For example, they are used by hunters and anglers to access remote sites, by ranchers to round up cattle, by racers, and by ATV enthusiasts to tour the mountains, forests, deserts and swamps. Generally, such an ATV may accommodate one or two persons. ATVs are even produced in small sizes, to be driven by children.
The proliferation of all-terrain vehicles has resulted in a need for equipment by which one or more ATVs may be easily and readily transported over relatively long distances, e.g. to an area conducive to off-road riding. Such areas are provided by the National Forests, Bureau of Land Management lands, and other public lands, for example. Often, a family or families enjoy riding ATVs together, necessitating the transport of three or more ATVs to the recreation site.
ATVs are commonly transported in a pickup truck or on a trailer. Full-size ATVs typically weigh between about 400 and 600 pounds (182 and 273 kg.) or more, one 4.times.4 model known as a Yamaha Grizzly weighing about 700 pounds in a travel-ready condition. 6.times.6 models having six wheels are now being marketed. Truck transport requires that a ramp also be carried in the truck bed to enable loading and unloading of the ATV(s). The space available for carrying other gear is greatly reduced.
Thus, a need exists for transporting one or more ATVs without taking up the bed space of a pickup truck, and permitting easy loading and unloading of an ATV or similar type vehicle.
A related need exists for the transport of gardening/lawn maintenance equipment such as riding mowers, garden tractors, etc. This need has become widespread particularly because of the proliferation of lawn and garden maintenance services as well as equipment rental companies. Like ATVs, riding mowers and garden tractors may weigh up to about 600 pounds (273 kg.) or more. Typically, however, the most popular sizes of riding mowers weigh about 400-550 pounds (182-250 kg.). Manual lifting of such a machine into a pickup truck or trailer can be hazardous, even by several persons, and virtually impossible for one person.
Various rigid carrying racks are shown in the prior art. Such racks may be attachable to the rear bumper, ball hitch or hitch receiver of a vehicle such as an automobile or pickup truck. Examples of such are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,947 of Tartaglia, U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,658 of Webb, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,276 of Devito, U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,883 of Profeta, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,413 of Began et al. None of these references shows a carrier which may transport an ATV or riding mower.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,835 of Cole, an apparatus is shown for mounting an all-terrain vehicle to a hitch receiver on the rear of an automobile. The axles of an ATV are attached to the apparatus and the front end of the ATV lifted by a person to a vertical position, where it is retained.
The lifting of an ATV, particularly one weighing up to about 600 pounds, will be very difficult in use of the Cole apparatus. A four-wheeler will be considerably heavier to lift than the three-wheeler shown. It may not be possible for one person to safely lift or lower the ATV as described without help. Persons who are physically handicapped will not be able to safely load or unload the ATV at all.
The Cole invention is inapplicable to the transport of riding mowers and the like, because of the very limited access to the rear axles of such mowers, and the relatively small mower wheels. In addition, the front ends of riding mowers are typically very heavy, making lifting additionally difficult, even if the axles could be accessed for attachment. The transport of riding mowers is not mentioned by Cole.